Policies affect politics, politics affect policies, and people matter. (Illinois Family Institute)
A Side Note
If you search the word “Vote” you’ll find some interesting information. For instance, did you know that voting in the United States has been around since the late 1700s? It was first for only white male property owners to participate in elections. Over time, voting rights have expanded. Let’s explore quickly:
- In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified and granted African American men the right to vote.
- In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote.
- In 1964, the Twenty-Fourth Amendment prohibited poll taxes.
- In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was enacted to eliminate racial discrimination.
- In 1971, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 years old to 18 years old.
You get my drift. Voting is a treasured right for all citizens of America. Now, let’s move on to this next big election, The Midterm Elections. It’s been filling up the airways for weeks.
The Meat of the Matter
The media is calling these midterm elections the most important election ever! 46 states will hold state legislative elections, with 28 state legislatures under Republican control and 18 under Democratic control. With a toss-up of 4 states that have split control.
Congress is literally on the ballot. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, plus 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, are up for a vote. The partisan composition of Congress can have a major influence on what the President can do during his remaining term. States will have ballots for Governor, state representative, judicial, other local offices, and state-specific measures that could also be on the ballot.
We the people have an opportunity to either rebalance power and choose Congresspersons more closely aligned with the current President’s agenda and the administration, or one that will be positioned further away, in a different direction. That is why this is a VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION.
Would you say that this is more important than the Presidential election? Yes, I can surmise and say that I’ve seen hundreds of commercials from the Democrats and the Republicans. Nefarious and mean-spirited ads too. I’ll be honest, I’m sick of it.
Talk to anyone about how they are faring in this economy, and you’ll get eye rolls, sighs, and exasperated complaints about the war in Iran, the war between Russia and Ukraine, gas prices, food prices, unemployment, and just overall unhappiness. I get it. I’m living through it too.
Now, I’m not really smart, but I’m not really dumb either. But I see what’s going on in the world. All you have to do is look at what’s happening in Europe. France, Spain, Italy. Hey folks, things aren’t that great ANYWHERE these days.
Here in the US, things are shifting. Why are young people embracing socialism? Why has Karl Marx become a savior? We’ve seen what’s happened in Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea, just to list a few.
Have you read how the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is on the rise? There are over 100,000 members and growing, but not all Democrats are on board with the provisions and positions. And, let’s not forget, the Republican Party hasn’t been faring so well either. A lot of Infighting, no alignment within the GOP, etc.
We need a party for the people! Who is with me? Unfortunately, we only have two parties, and we need to vote for one of them.
If I dare go even further, the rise of the second fastest-growing religion is Islam in America and all over the world. I’m all for freedom of religion. But when we have a government founded on Christian principles and a nation, America, slowly moving away from those principles, well, we can no longer be considered a Democratic Republic; and I honestly start to get a little concerned.
Many will argue that our United States government was not founded on Christian principles or the Bible. I dare disagree. The Bible is the most explicit political text ever written.
With that said, I am boggled as to why Christians rarely vote in the midterms or Presidential election. I recently heard that 40 million Christians didn’t vote for the 2024 Presidential election. That’s a lot of people who didn’t participate.
I’m going to preface this by saying that I am a born-again Christian. I read the Bible as much as I can. I am not a scholar of the Word, but I am a lifelong student of the Word of God. I keep going back to Scripture, so I can remember and use it as a guiding post for my life.
Some Framework
For 430 years, the children of Israel lived under the oppressors of Egypt, that’s 430 years. A very long time. (Exodus 12:40-42)
If you read through Exodus, chapters 18-40, you’ll learn that Moses and the people were creating a church and government. If you get through Leviticus, you’ll see that this book details the requirements for the church. Specifically, read Leviticus 19. The whole book of Numbers is all about the census of the people, laws against sin, and how to handle refugees. The Book of Deuteronomy sets up the rules and laws for governing the people in a new land, the Promised Land. Of course, at the foundation of all this are the 10 Commandments, the moral authority over the people. If you study Deuteronomy 33, you’ll see that it is Moses’s farewell address to the 12 Tribes of Israel who were given territories in Israel. We have states; they had territories. We have borders that show which state you are in when you cross it. It’s the same thing that happened in the Bible for the 12 Tribes of Israel.
For Christians and citizens of the United States of America, we are called to pray for our leaders. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) We are to respect the authority of our government. (Romans 13:1) Wherever we move to, we are to seek the peace and prosperity of that town, city, or country. Assimilate and be a good citizen. (Jeremiah 29:7)
Below are a few examples of how important historical figures fought for their country:
- Daniel fasted for his country. (Daniel 1 and 10)
- Esther and Mordecai cared for their nation and wanted to save their people. (The Book of Esther)
- Joseph, under the authority of Pharaoh, brought Egypt out of famine. (Genesis 37 – 40)
- Moses and Aaron set up Torah and Government. It was Joshua who then brought them into the Promised Land. (Exodus 24: 4, Exodus 34:27, Deuteronomy 31: 9 and 24-26, Leviticus 9:23-24)
- Jesus came to fulfill the laws of the Prophets. (Matthew 5:17)
Jesus also said that the two most important commandments out of the 10 commandments were:
- To love the Lord God with all your heart,
- To love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40)
The Landing
So, if we loved God and cared about our neighbor, then why aren’t we out there voting? Firstly, you might wonder if your vote will count? The answer is yes. Until that civic duty is stripped from our hands, we need to vote. Secondly, what does this election have to do with Christianity? We’re no longer a Christian nation. We are a melting pot of many, many ethnicities and religions. However, here’s something interesting. The Declaration of Independence mentions God in one form or another four times. It may not be a lot, but it is mentioned four times more than any other governmental document.
- The laws of nature, Nature’s God – God is the maker of laws. The Legislative Branch.
- Creator – Founder of all things.
- Supreme Judge – God is the Judiciary Branch and will judge the wrong.
- Divine Providence – God is the Executive Branch and can override decisions and actions that harm His people.
George Washington mentioned Moses’s Farewell Address from Deuteronomy 33 as his warning to the people. John Adams said the Constitution was written for a “moral and religious people.” Faithful people who left the tyrannical government of the British.
So, where does that leave us? Voting is a privilege for all citizens, believers and non-believers. We aren’t governed by kings or queens. We have the opportunity to select our representatives in our local, state, and federal governments to protect our civil rights. Isn’t that amazing?
What if you say, I really don’t follow politics; I don’t even know who is on the ballot. Well, to that I say… Google your candidates. Read their policies. Study. Show yourself approved in knowledge. If you can scroll for hours or play solitaire on your phone, you can do a bit of research. Yes, research the candidate’s policies, experience, and goals. Don’t rely on the media or ads. No one is perfect, but we have an obligation to do our civic duty, just as the candidates have a responsibility to represent the people who elected them.
As for me, I vote for a hopeful, better future for my daughters, my neighbor’s kids, community kids, state kids, and children all across the US. But, I’m going to vote with my faith and good conscience for my fellow man. My allegiance is to God! “… “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
We live in a beautiful country that gave us the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution. Do your civic duty. Don’t stay on the sidelines because SILENCE IS COMPLACENCY.
Go Vote!
References:
https://www.foundationswithjanet.org/columns/blog-columns/moses-and-the-united-states-constitution/https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/07/moses-george-washington-farewell-address/
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